Wolf Parade

Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY: 24 October 2005

Maybe playing while shitfaced is the newest coping mechanism for indie-rock bands pummeled by an unrelenting (and strangely scrupulous) stream of media attention: Montreal's Wolf Parade wandered onstage at Bowery Ballroom, beers in hands, pupils properly dilated, and managed to play two songs before guitarist/part-time vocalist Dan Boeckner jubilantly announced their collective inebriation. And then nervously backtracked: "According to the bloggers, I just made a huge mistake."

Scribes may spend pages trying to write it away, but Wolf Parade's much-discussed Sub Pop debut is packed with oddly gripping rock songs, and their live show is just as carnally engaging: not all of the record's multi-tracked vocals translate live (nuances are lost in the hollers), but most of Apologies to the Queen Mary makes for a series of raw, compelling live performances. Opener "It's A Curse" saw theremin/laptop guru Hadji Bakara looking properly spaced, a sped-up "Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts" and mesmerizing "Modern World" followed, before the band swaggered into its first new song (of five), preemptively apologizing with a sheepish "Thanks for being receptive to new stuff." It was a trend of defensive confession which continued (after their first new cut, they plunged into a raucous "Shine a Light", almost as a reward)-- eventually, keyboardist/vocalist Spencer Krug shrugged it off completely, admitting "Here's another one you've never heard. It's not for you, it's for us."

Periodically, audience members screamed well-known song titles (which was particularly awkward, given the grace with which one can bellow ten-word names), and one dude seemed deeply intent on hearing "Grounds for Divorce" (band response: "Not gonna happen, man"). Guitarist Dante DeCaro (ex-Hot Hot Heat) took on percussion duties alongside standard guitar slinging, banging the hell out of a snare drum, tambourine, and a beat-up set of chimes, while Krug hopped in and out of his chair. "You Are a Runner and I Am My Father's Son" was the set's explosive highlight, all somersaulting keyboard diddles and dissonant guitar, Krug's vocals wary and rickety enough to shoot chills across a very sweaty room.